


To Heal

by Depths



Series: In a mockery of recollection [5]
Category: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Genre: Amnesia, Angst, Blood, Canonical Character Death, Character Death, Feral Behavior, Feral Link (Legend of Zelda), Fluff and Angst, Gen, Grief/Mourning, Hurt/Comfort, Mipha's Grace (Legend of Zelda), Missing Scene, Selectively Mute Link (Legend of Zelda), Suicide, Temporary Character Death, can be read as sidon/link
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-27
Updated: 2020-09-27
Packaged: 2021-03-07 18:40:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,156
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26672305
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Depths/pseuds/Depths
Summary: Link is very excited to show Sidon his new power from Mipha.
Relationships: Link & Mipha (Legend of Zelda), Link & Prince Sidon, Mipha & Prince Sidon
Series: In a mockery of recollection [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1926892
Comments: 25
Kudos: 536





	To Heal

**Author's Note:**

> I wanted to kill link so i did. And I plan to do so again :)
> 
> Takes place right after Vah Ruta, and within the Feral!Link AU of mine it's his first divine beast.
> 
> TW for a kind of graphic suicide. Even if it doesn't stick.

Link had practically charged Sidon the moment he had emerged from Vah Ruta. 

It was shocking alone, to watch Link return in his unexplained shower of light. Yet he appeared right before him, and even his visible confusion and shock faded the moment he realized he was in the throne room. 

The Hylian Champion had been just short of running in circles in the audience with his father afterward. Before, Sidon had assumed it was all lingering adrenaline. Link was still  _ dripping, _ for Hylia's sake. Surely whatever had happened up there, in the Divine Beast–– surely it had been taxing. But his offer of a bed went shaken off violently.

He still was unsure what his friend was trying to communicate near an hour later, hidden from prying eyes up high in one of the many arching waterways surrounding the Domain.

“I'm not sure I understand what you’re trying to say to me, my dear friend,” Sidon said guiltily. “I know you are spelling out “g-r-a-c-e”, but I find myself unsure as to what context the word has here—“ he cut himself off as Link continued to gesture, bouncing in place and pointing frantically between himself and Mipha’s statue. “Are you asking to know more about my sister? If so, I have a great many stories to share if you would like to hear them!” 

But Link only huffed. The little Hylian only seemed to become more and more frustrated with every failure to translate his thoughts. Sidon frowned helplessly. “Are you trying to tell  _ me _ something about her?” He guessed. When Link nodded, face brightening, he couldn’t help the way his tailfin wagged. “Oh! Of course, maybe you have recovered more memories!” 

A strained grin. Sidon’s chest tightened. “Ah, perhaps not then...?” 

They both stood in silence for a moment. The only sound, in their secluded little corner of the domain, was the rushing of water far below. Sidon was proud of having found it so unclaimed, there weren’t many parts of the Domain where he could find quiet. Especially not during the daylight. Not that he could ever complain. The beauty and life of his people and their home was a joy that never faded even a century later. 

But Link seemed to be a creature in need of the silence to truly flourish, and he was happy to provide that for his new wayward friend. 

“I admit myself at a loss, my dearest Link,” Sidon confessed. “Is there not any way you could show me what you are trying to tell me?” 

Link squinted at him for a moment, his restless leg swinging slowing. Pinched blue eyes suddenly brightened. Sidon perked up as the Hylian hopped off the railing he had been sat on, teeth bared in an off-kilter smile. All of his smiles were like that. It didn’t bother him, not when he knew every single one was as strong and genuine as their mighty bearer—

“Link?” Sidon asked, confused, as Link yanked a pilfered Lizalfos blade from his back. “What are—“ 

It sunk deep into his throat. 

_ “Oh sweet Hylia!” _ Sidon shrieked. He jerked to his feet, stumbling away from the railing to try and catch Link’s swaying body. He only became more distressed when the tiny Hylian pushed him away, batting almost-gently at his hands. It didn’t hurt. It never did. After all, he was still learning— “What have you— no,  _ please— _ please stop, I-I have to get you to the healers,” he pleaded. Link continued to shake his head, teeth still bared and bright. Blood was starting to spill between their gaps. Sidon suddenly didn’t like that smile as much.

_ O-K, _ he kept signing.  _ O-K. O-K. W-a-i-t.  _

“I’m— I’m not going to just  _ watch,” _ Sidon snapped, scandalized and hurt, and choked on a wail as Link ripped himself away and tripped backward from him, bloodied hands sliding for a solid grip on his weapon. It was hilt-deep in his tiny, delicate, pale throat before Sidon could do so much as scream. 

Link’s body slumped to the beautiful luminescent stone archways of Zora's domain, blood railing the waterways red, and Sidon couldn’t help his strangled keening cry as he slid to his knees. This time, Link went willingly into his arms. His pale hands did nothing to hold onto the weapon anymore and Sidon watched it drift away without remorse. “T-there’s still time,” he said shakily. It took tremendous effort to sound positive and encouraging. But if he had to put on a brave face for his friend, so be it. “We can— we can still h-help you, Link. You’re going to— you’re going to be okay!” 

Link’s shaking hands formed the weakest  _ no _ Sidon had ever seen. His teeth dug into his lip until he tasted blood. It made him feel sick. Blood in his mouth, blood on his hands, blood wetting the water that was supposed to be so clear and cool under his feet— 

Watching Link’s head loll back against his arm when he wrenched himself to his feet made him want to throw up. 

_ “Stay awake,” _ Sidon begged. He began to run. “Stay awake,  _ please _ Link, please, don’t close your eyes yet!” 

A quiet, wet cough. Blood splattered hot against Sidon’s skin. 

_ No. No, no, this can’t be... _

Link hissed something almost like his name, garbled and hoarse. The noise crackled painfully in his throat like nails raked across glass. Sidon tightened his grip and tried not to look down. He didn’t have time to feel shocked that Link had tried to speak. Not when that could very well be the first and last time he’d ever hear it. 

Small hands clawed weakly at his hands. “Ss—d’n,” Link forced out again. “Ss—sss-gn...”

“Don’t waste your breath,” Sidon pleaded. “Please, I can, we can—“ he cried out as Link pushed against his chest with surprising strength, ripping free from his arms. The Hylian’s tiny bleeding body looked less like his friend and more like a waterlogged rag doll, flopping sickly down against the floor with a splash. “Link!” 

The noise Link made was horrifyingly garbled but unmistakably happy. 

Bile rose in Sidon’s throat. As his friend's eyes slipped peacefully closed. 

_ “No,” _ Sidon choked out. Now that he was looking, there was no looking away. Nothing he could do to tear his eyes from the sight of his dear friend's corpse, limp and wet at his feet. His wounds still sluggishly bled. Wounds he made himself, wounds from his own hands, the same hands that he had used to push Sidon away. 

He fell to his knees. There was no need to find a healer. Not a healer in the world could help Link anymore. 

Sidon blinked away tears, hiccuping into his hands. The blue of the domain seemed to glow brighter around him, blinding him through the wetness in his eyes, and no amount of wiping it away would help. All he could do was stare back at Link's body, trying to find the strength to pick it back up and...

He stopped. Squinted through the water. The glow refused to fade, green and blue and far too bright to be even the sunlight reflecting off the luminous stone carved pillars. 

Sidon swept at his eyes again, inhaling shakily, and opened his eyes to his sister's face. 

Soft, sweet gestures. Small hands and gentle eyes, delicate fins framing a delicate body. His sister swam through the air above Link’s body, glowing and beautiful, and with a move so unfairly otherworldly and kind wiped the blood from his cheek. Her heart-shaped face looked resigned. 

_ “It was my pleasure.”  _

Eyes he never could forget turned and look at him. Mipha smiled as fondly as she did when she was alive. 

Sidon could only stare as his sister's visage vanished into nothing.  He had no idea how long he stood there. Small fingers touched his arm but they weren't the same. Small, compared to him, but not delicate. Not with the same grace of his sister. The touch was rough, calloused–– Sidon nearly took Link's head off whipping around.

"You––"

Link bounced in place, practically wiggling back and forth. His hands moved and Sidon stared, unblinking. It was only on the third gesture that he registered Link was fingerspelling Mipha's name.

It wasn’t… It was  _ wrong. _

The sight of the individual letters, shaky and excited, made Sidon's throat feel tight. As if snapping out of a trance everything crashed into him at once. His chest twisted painfully as if she was gone all over again.

"No," he managed to choke out, "Her.... the sign name you gave her, it was––" Unable to speak, he forced his trembling hands to move, physically aching at the way Link watched his fists draw from his chest. "I don't... know what it means. P-perhaps you do, but Mipha never got the chance to..." His voice gave out. Link blinked, eyes wide as Sidon's voice withered pathetically. He couldn't help it. tears blurred his vision. "Link," He croaked, "How could you–– Why would you  _ do _ that?"

His sister was alive, out there, in whatever way was still possible for her. But he had always known that. He had known that since the day his father had chosen to keep her trident carefully tucked away into an untouched chest. He had known that with every glance at her statue, and at the life she had left behind.

Now he knew she was alive in Link. Now he knew she was the only reason he was alive at all.

Link's ears twitched. A gravelly, confused rumble vibrated out of his throat. He went rigid when Sidon swept him up into his arms.

"Please do not do that again," Sidon whispered.

Sidon tucked his friend's head of soft, dirty blonde hair against his cheek and tremulously breathed out. It took a long moment, Link squirming a bit in his arms, but eventually, the Hylian settled. His hands slid uncertainty up Sidon's sides, patting delicately over his ribs as if worried he'd  _ hurt _ him, and Sidon felt like sobbing.

So he did. Freely and unashamed. There was little harm in crying openly, and with the alarmed wiggle Link made in his arms, he felt that showing his friend it was safe to be intimate was nothing but good. Small rough hands quickened, patting so carefully at his face. It made Sidon feel painfully twisted between wanting to laugh and wanting to cry when the Hylian pulled his hands back, staring at the tears wetting his palms as if they confused him.

"H-hert?" He croaked out oddly. His hands pressed back to Sidon's cheek, wide blue eyes searching his face. The word alone made him scrunch his face up, coughing uncomfortably as it strained his unused vocal cords, but he seemed reluctant to pull away to sign. "Hurt? Pai-nuh?"

"Sad," Sidon admitted. He sat his back against the walled rail of the archways. Moving slowly, watching Link carefully, he pulled his friend into his lap to free his hands, clasping one over Link's on his cheek. "I don't want to see my dear friend die, Link. Even if it's to see my sister again."

Link frowned, shaking his head. Sidon hated to see his friend look so confused over something so–– it was supposed to be  _ simple. _ It only spoke volumes as to how little Link valued himself, whether he understood the gravity of the situation or not...

Sidon breathed out slowly, steadying himself. He comforted himself with the feeling of Link's tunic under his fingers. His small but solid legs curled on top of his. Legs that could carry him far, hands that could protect. 

He should never have had to. The body his friend was in was nearly exact to that in his childhood memories, soft cheeks and bright eyes. Even against all of the scarring he shouldn’t have. A child sent to war, just like his sister. 

The Hylian blessedly didn't flinch when he hugged him close again. Feathery golden hair, even streaked with rain and mud and maybe bits of dried monster blood, was soft against his chin.

"I miss Mipha," He admitted, "But she is gone, and I have made peace with that. I am not ready to make peace with losing you too, even if for a moment."

He closed his eyes, reveling in the exploratory way Link slid his hands from his cheeks to his neck, to the fins beside his head and the leathery smooth scales lining his shoulders. His sister was powerful and brilliant and beautiful. But even she was sure to have limits, whether those were physical worldly ones or not.

Link, at any point, could willingly throw himself to his death, and it was equally as likely that Mipha would not be there to help him.

Sidon tried to memorize the feeling of those careful little touches.

One hundred years had only taught him that nothing lasted.

**Author's Note:**

> Mipha's sign name, by the way, is the ASL for "to heal/heal", but instead of using fists it uses a fingerspelled "M". Not that Link remembers that, of course. 
> 
> Let me know if i missed any errors!
> 
> As always, find me at [Leviathiane](https://leviathiane.tumblr.com) on tumblr!


End file.
